Ski Resorts in Chile: El Colorado
As the ski season in Chile came to a close, I unexpectedly had probably the best day of piste skiing in my life. On Friday, El Colorado was completely empty, and I could glide down the groomed slopes without any interruptions.
In the morning, the slopes were firm but not icy, and in the afternoon, there was that soft spring slush. The weather was sunny and calm, making it an absolute delight to strip down to my thermals and enjoy the slopes, seemingly open just for us.
El Colorado is one of the three resorts near Santiago, nestled between La Parva and Valle Nevado. The area is quite extensive, with slopes suitable for all levels of skiers. Closer to the transition to Valle Nevado, there is an impressive snow park. Off-piste skiing mainly involves open fields between the trails. The ski resorts near Santiago are situated at a high altitude in the Andes, so there isn’t any forested skiing. For more interesting alpine terrain, La Parva is the place to go.
During the summer, the El Colorado slopes transform into a mountain biking park. However, you don’t have to wait for the snow to melt to kick off the biking season here. The day after our skiing adventure, they held a massive downhill race right on the snow. You can watch the video here.
The views while skiing here are truly epic — the Andes appear much more rugged and brutal than the Nevados de Chillan. Santiago is clearly visible; during the day, it’s shrouded in smog, but at night, it glimmers quite elegantly.
The drive from Santiago is a separate pleasure. It features some of the most beautiful switchback roads, as long as you don’t get motion sickness on the constant twists and turns. It’s better to go on weekdays, as you might encounter hours-long traffic jams on weekends.
You can check out the trail map and purchase lift tickets on the resort’s website:
https://store.elcolorado.cl/
Read more stories about traveling in South America on my channel here.
